IM BURNETT - PDF document

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201 9 - 20 20 O FFICERS P RESIDENT J IM BURNETT Iron Mountain Quarry Bothell V ICE PRESIDENT J AMES ESSIG Granite Construction Everett S ECRETARY/TREASURER S TEVE CORLISS Corliss Resources Sumner P AST PRESIDENT J IMMY BLAIS Gary Merlino Construction Seattle D IRECTORS S COTT NICHOLSON CalPortland Dupont J ANA McDONALD CRH Materials Spokane DAVID FREELS Godbey Redi Mix Brewster W ALT MILES Miles S & G Puyallup C HAD PATTERSON Cascade Concrete Prod. Winthro p M ATT HINCK Cal P ortland Seattle A SSOCIATE DIRECTOR J ASON BREWER BASF Seattle C EMENT DIRECTOR D REW JARED Ash Grove Cement Seattle ASSOCIATION STAFF Bruce Chattin Executive Director Steve Buckner Millennia Public Affairs March 2 1 , 2020 The Honorable Jay Insle e Washington State Governor Olympia WA. 98504 RE: Construction Aggregate s Industry; an essential industry to support Washington state’s infrastructure and economy Dear Governor Inslee , On behalf of the Washington construction aggregates and products industry, thank you for your continued and aggressive leadership and your efforts to pr otect and educate Washington citizens and families during the COVID - 19 pandemic. We also extend our thanks to your staff, your state agency teams and the State Health Department for their exceptional efforts on behalf of all Washingtonians. During this cr itical time across Washington S tate and our nation, it is imperative the construction industry is characterized as an “essential industry” exempted from any current or future mandatory shelter in place orders or quarantines. We support the request of the Washington Construction I ndust ry Council (WCIC) to recognize and categorize the Washington construction industry as essential to help support y our efforts and protect our state and local communities. In order for the construction industry to be successful, the construction aggregates products industry must also be recognized and classified as an essential industry. These are the companies that uniquely produce the essential and critical supply chain of building materials to support construction of our state ’ s infrastructure system and build our statewide economy. These essential construction aggregate building materials include : sand, gravel, rock, concrete, asphal t, cement and masonry block. These natural materials are necessary for public works projects including roads, bridges and energy production. 51.7% of the construction aggregates we produce are used to build , maintain and preserve Washington’s transporta tion and infrastructure system. Recognizing the construction aggregates products industry as essential will support the professional trades that work in our metropolitan areas as well as support the men and women that work in our rural communities acros s Washington S tate . These are our employees that depend on good family wage jobs and provide the essential labor to manufacture, deliver and build our state ’ s infrastructure and resilient community structure s. Public works construction, hospitals, medic al facilities and our transportation infrastructure all depend on a readily available supply of construction aggregate materia

2 ls. These projects are critical to our
ls. These projects are critical to our ability to deliver medical supplies and services, food and goods and clean water and energy as we work to curtail the impacts of this pandemic in our state. Washington Aggregates & Concrete Products • Recyclable  Sustainable  Resilient Our member companies take the COVID - 19 threat very seriously and have taken action across our industry, as you have directed . This has resulted in social distancing , placing workers in work - from - home situations, reduc ing face to face meeting s and work ing online. State Departments of Transportation, construction and critical construction materials have been designated "essentials services" by their Governors, including New York, California , Illinois , New Jersey and Pennsylvania . The typical language included in th e Governor's orders are similar to the following: “For the purposes of this Order, individuals free from COVID - 19 symptoms may leave their residence to provide any supplies or services or to perform any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of “Essential Infrastructure,” including, but not limited to all active construction sites, public works construction and related manufacture of critical construction materials, construction of housing (in particular affordable housing or housing for individu als experiencing homelessness), hospitals and medical service buildings, education and education support facilities, airport operations, water, sewer, gas, electrical, roads and highways, public transportation, flood control, water conservation, solid wast e collection and removal, internet and telecommunications systems, and emergency repai r construction, provided that carry out those duties is done in compliance with the social distancing requirements of this Order, to the extent possible.” We respectfully request Washington state recognize construction, construction materials and related public works and infrastructure as described above as "essential services" and WS DOT, construction and construction aggregate material industries be charac terized as “essential industries” and exempt from any future mandatory shelter in place orders or quarantines. This will help to insure that critical work is moving forward and a large, robust (but seasonal) portion of our economy remains employed to assist in keeping Washington moving during this unprecedented crisis . Please feel free to directly co ntact any of our industry leaders below when considering any closures impacting the Washington S tate Construction industry. We will make o urselves available to you or your staff 24 - hours - per - day, 7 - days - per - week to help your office make the best decisions for our employees, their families and our communities in Washington S tate. Respectfully, Bruce Chattin David Gent / WAPA Executive Director Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association Bchattin@washingtonconcrete.org |. 206 571 - 3395 David Gent PE; Executive and Technical Director; Washington Asphalt Pavement Association dave.gent@asphaltwa.com | 253 261 - 4486 Tom Gaetz; Senior Advisor ; Washington Asphalt Pavement Association tomgaetz@msn.com | 206 619 - 6938 Van Collins ; WCIC President ; President | CEO; American Council of Engineering Companies vcollins@acec - wa.org | 253 906 - 5158 Steve Buckner; Millenia Public Affairs 206 849 - 1869 Steve Gano; Steve Gano Associate s 253 - 241 - 1537 Grant Newport; True North Public Affairs 360 515 - 131